River: I believe I can be British champion

River (left) after a sparring session with Amir Abubaker

THE casual fight observers who believe boxers step into the ring with hatred for their opponents, who are desperate to end a feud, have got it badly wrong.

In 99 per cent of bouts it’s business with blood and bruises thrown in.

Take Ryan Kelly and River Wilson-Bent, both immensely likeable individuals.

Last October, they punched lumps out of each other in an epic Commonwealth silver middleweight clash won by Chelmsley Wood’s Kelly on points.

This weekend they help each other prepare for upcoming bouts through sparring.

“Fair play to Ryan, he’s a champion,” said Coventry’s River. “There’s no bad blood, I get on well with Ryan.”

Tall Wilson-Bent has dusted himself off after that cracking title 10 rounder and fights again on March 9 at the Skydome in his home city.

For that eight rounder, he has returned to where his exciting, 20 bout pro career started. The 30-year-old is back with trainer Brendan Norman at Bulkington after briefly switching to the Red Corner gym in the run-up to facing Kelly. Red Corner are still involved in the strength and conditioning side of River’s game.

“It was good,” he said of the brief switch, “and I learned a lot, but I’m happier at Bulkington. I’m glad I took the opportunity because I’ve done it and don’t have to dwell on it.”

Was he naïve to switch camps with the Kelly title clash on the horizon?

“Naïve on my part,” he quickly pointed out. “They (Red Corner) didn’t want me to take that fight because I was learning a new style, but I took it.

“I went into the fight between styles. I read the situation wrong and stopped putting on the pressure and that just doesn’t happen.”

River has faced top fighters, such as Kelly, European champ Tyler Denny and ferocious punching Hamzah Sheeraz in a career that has seen him gain the Midlands title and feature in a technical draw for the English.

The march towards more belts begins in Coventry next month.

“The dream is still going,” he said. “I’m fighting an unbeaten lad, if it turns out to be him. I don’t think he’s had many, but fancies his chances. I’m not going to say no to those.

“He has nothing to lose, I have everything to lose, but that’s the way I like it. That brings out the best in me.

“I want to win a British title and I don’t think I’m far from that. I believe I can beat the current champion (Nathan Heaney), but I know I have to build myself up for that one. You have to give full credit to Heaney. A lot of people wrote him off, but he pulled off a massive upset.”

River, who has tasted defeat on only four occasions, believes fans have yet to see the total package, the boxer at his very best.

He has a big following, hits with power, but has been prone to cuts in recent outings.

“One hundred per cent, I’m getting better,” he said. “I’m wiser, you don’t think you can get fitter, but you do.

“I’m coming to my strength. I make middleweight very comfortably, but we are playing with the idea of moving up (in weight to super-middle).”